DeAngelo Hall: “. If you can’t go out there and give your best after the kind of season we’ve had, you don’t deserve to put on a jersey, period.”

The Washington Redskins enter today’s game against the Dallas Cowboys with nothing at stake, but one of the team’s leaders insist that despite their terrible record, he and his teammates remain highly motivated for a number of reasons.

“It’s a little bit of obviously embracing the spoiler role, it’s a little bit of we don’t like them and they don’t like us,” cornerback DeAngelo Hall said. “It’s the rivalry itself, it’s pride, it’s London Fletcher. There are a lot things that are supposed to be able to get you motivated. The next game, to get [win] No. 4. It’s been a tumultuous season to say the least, so there’s a lot of things to play for. If you can’t go out there and give your best after the kind of season we’ve had, you don’t deserve to put on a jersey, period. I feel like our guys will go out and fight tooth and nail.”

The Cowboys at 7-7 remain in the hunt for the NFC East title. But they need wins against the Redskins today and the Philadelphia Eagles next week to win the division.

That’s why Hall mentioned Fletcher among the reasons the Redskins will bring their best effort.

“I think we all just want to go out there and fight in general. But with this being his last time against Dallas with this group of guys, you’re going to get everything in this locker room’s got,” Hall said. “It’s for each other, it’s for the win, it’s for the fans, it’s for the rivalry. But just knowing it’s the last time out there with Fletcher, absolutely, it gets you more excited to go out there and hit somebody and make a play and celebrate the win. … As much fun as we’ve had on that field together, it’s definitely going to be different not seeing him out there.”

But Fletcher isn’t the only player that could be making his final appearance at FedEx Field as a Redskin. Eight of the 11 defensive starters – Hall and three other defensive backs included – all have expiring contracts, and additional overhaul moves are possible on offense. So this team will likely look rather different next season.

The salary-cap-strapped Redskins released Hall this past offseason because he was owed $8 million, and then Hall re-signed for a one-year deal worth $1.25 million. He did so because he considered this to be his home, and he believed Washington was capable of following up last season’s 10-6 campaign with another special year.

Things haven’t panned out for the 3-11 Redskins, but Hall himself has had one of the best seasons of his career.

When asked if he wants to re-sign with the Redskins again, he said he hasn’t allowed himself to shift his focus to the offseason.

“I’ve got two more games left to play. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there, but it’s going to be an exciting offseason for a lot of different reasons,” Hall said. “For this team, to get some of the cap money back, for some of the guys in this locker room, to see what direction we go in, for myself to figure out where I land, for [Brandon Meriweather], E.J. [Biggers], for Josh [Wilson]. It’s going be a lot going on for a lot of guys in this locker room for the offseason. It’s pretty interesting. Definitely pretty interesting.”

Hall has confidence in the body of work that he has produced this season. He has 70 tackles with three interceptions, and three touchdowns (two off interception returns and one off of a fumble recovery return). Because of that, he isn’t worried about his future.

“Not at all. I think I’ve done enough,” Hall said. “I think a lot guys in this locker room have done enough to get a job somewhere – whether we’re playing for the Washington Redskins or another one of the other 31 teams in the NFL. But we’ll cross that bridge when it comes.”

For in-game updates, analysis, photos and the best of social media, plus a place to talk with fellow Redskins fans, visit our live blog, from two hours before kickoff through the post-game news conferences.

Mike Jones covers the Washington Redskins for The Washington Post. When not writing about a Redskins development of some kind – which is rare – he can be found screaming and cheering at one of his kids’ softball, baseball, soccer or basketball games.

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